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Jackson Needs No Probing
Thursday, December 29, 2005
By Roger Friedman
Michael Jackson can wipe one legal worry from his mind. The California state attorney general isn’t likely to investigate him for a charity function thrown at Neverland in August 2003 or a concert and single from the fall of 2001.
Yesterday published reports got a little frantic that Jackson had broken a law somehow or that his associate, Marc Schaffel, had somehow misappropriated funds. But our checking into the facts turned up no malfeasance for once on Jackson’s part. It looks like everything was done right for a change.
The Neverland event in question took place Aug. 20, 2003. Miami-based commercial artist Romero Britto convinced Jackson to invite people to the ranch for $5,000 a ticket. A portion — $1,000 — would go to charities. At the time, everyone, including this columnist, was dubious.
According to Faith Holmes, head of the Oneness Project, a California foundation that raises awareness about racism and other social issues, her group received about $40,000 of the total $87,000 collected that day.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., got a check for $17,000. The remainder was divided between the Southern California branch of Make-A-Wish and a Brazilian charity for the homeless patronized by Britto.
Holmes says it was all done by the book. She told me Schaffel, who’s now suing Jackson for $4 million, was "unbelievably generous" in organizing and helping to produce the event.
The stories yesterday mentioned that Jackson was responsible for a Sept. 11 charity concert in Washington, D.C., which took place in October 2001, as well as a charity single called "What More Can I Give?" The impression was that somehow Jackson and Schaffel had profited from the occasion.
For a journalist, this story would be lovely if true; however, Clear Channel Communications produced said concert, and tickets were sold through Ticketmaster and normal channels. Jackson merely appeared, sang his song, and left.
Clear Channel picked up his expenses, which were no doubt high. As for the single, Jackson never paid for it. Schaffel did and was not reimbursed for his expenses by Jackson. That’s why he’s suing.
Holmes, by the way, says a CD album of original music will be available for sale shortly on the Oneness.org Web site. The songs are all by established, veteran songwriters and recorded by up-and-coming stars.
FOX411
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